Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether asylum seekers who have settled in Scotland are being given advice, support and access to all vaccination and screening programmes available to other NHS patients.

Malcolm Chisholm: Asylum seekers have access to health care services in the same way as any other resident of a health board area. In addition, special arrangements are in place to screen asylum seekers for active infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to gather information on levels of any unmet need for community care for the elderly, people with mental illness and disabled people.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on levels of unmet need are not currently collected by the Scottish Executive. However, the Social Work Information Review Group identified this as a requirement in their publication, Local and National Information Requirements for Social Work in Scotland , which was published last year.

  Definition work has now started and recommendations are expected to be put out to a variety of care organisations and local authorities for consultation during 2001-02.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to address the reductions in 1999-2000 of the numbers of clients receiving home care of (a) up to two hours per week, (b) two to four hours per week and (c) more than 10 hours a week, as set out in Table 2A of the Audit Scotland Performance Indicators 1999-2000, Social work: Comparing the performance of Scottish councils.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has committed substantial additional resources to extending and improving on the provision of care to people in their own homes. In each of the next three years respectively, the allocation of resources for Community Care is set to increase by over £90 million, £135 million and £195 million. This will include a major additional investment for home care services.

Environment

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the matters discussed at the Environmental Council meeting on 8 March 2001, attended by the Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture.

Allan Wilson: Sam Galbraith attended the Environment Council meeting on 8 March as part of the UK delegation along with the DETR Environment Minister Michael Meacher. This was the first Environment Council under the Swedish Presidency. It was held in Brussels under the chairmanship of the Swedish Environment Minister, Mr Kjell Larrson.

  At the council, there was lively a policy debate – open to the public - on the Sixth Environmental Action Programme, which was proposed by the Commission in January. When agreed by the council and European Parliament this will set out the EU’s environmental priorities for the next ten years with four priority areas for action - climate change, nature and biodiversity, environment and health and sustainable management of natural resources and waste. The negotiations on this issue will proceed throughout the remainder of the Swedish Presidency with the aim of achieving a Common Position at the June Council.

  There was an exchange of views on the Commission’s Communication on Bathing Water policy. On this the council adopted conclusions which are favourable to the UK, particularly in their insistence on the need for the Commission to undertake a thorough assessment of the costs and benefits before proposing a revised directive.

  There was also a policy debate on the Commission’s recently adopted White Paper on an EU chemicals strategy. The aims of the strategy are to maintain a high level of protection of human health and the environment, to raise the confidence of the public in chemicals management and to ensure compliance with the regulations of the internal market. On this the UK supported the Commission’s White Paper but stressed the need to identify and phase out chemicals that pose an unacceptable risk. The UK also advocated improved public access to information and the need to minimise animal testing.

  A Common Position was also reached on a proposal for a directive on emissions from motorcycles. This will provide better air quality while at the same time protecting the particular interests of small UK motorbike manufacturers.

  In addition to this, council Conclusions on Climate Change, and on Preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) were agreed. On Climate Change, the council reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to reaching agreement on the Kyoto Protocol at the resumed COP6. On the World Summit, the UK strongly supported the Commission’s plans for preparing for the Summit, which are in tune with our own plans for stakeholder involvement that Mr Galbraith announced in the Scottish Parliament on 28 February.

  Finally, we reviewed progress on a range of issues. The Commission and Presidency updated council on progress on an EU Sustainable Development Strategy, and the Commission presented their Green Paper on Integrated Product Policy, which seeks to address the environmental impact of products at all stages of their life-cycle. The Presidency also reported on progress on several environmental directives on which they aim to make substantial progress and which will fall to the Scottish Executive to implement. These include a revised Directive on Access to Environmental Information, the proposed Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, and a Decision establishing a list of priority substances discharged into the aquatic environment. We shall of course be fully involved in developing the UK line on these and other environmental issues during the weeks and months ahead.

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what immediate financial assistance will be given to the fish processing industry in view of the impact of the cod recovery plan.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to the Action Plan produced by the Scottish White Fish Processing Action Group on 12 February 2001.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to safeguard the long-term future of the fish processing industry.

Rhona Brankin: I announced on 8 March that £1 million will be made available to the processing industry to implement recommendations made in the Scottish Fish Processors’ Working Group report. Detailed responses to the various recommendations will be provided to the group, and subsequently lodged in the Parliamentary Information Centre, as soon as possible.

Food Safety

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Food Standards Agency plans to monitor imports of meat to ensure that it meets the standards required of home grown meat.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Food Standards Agency advises that all imported meat must conform to the same European hygiene standards as UK production. In accordance with European Single Market rules, imports from other member states are not checked on import but the EU Food and Veterinary Office make inspection visits in all member states to ensure compliance with single market rules.

  Third country imports all come from plants approved by the European Commission. Officials in Border Inspection Posts check all consignments from non-EU countries. These checks ensure that all imported meat has been produced to at least the same standards as domestic produce.

  The agency has requested that food authorities step up checks on imports following recent breaches of EU BSE controls detected in consignments of meat from some member states and imports are currently being checked by either Meat Hygiene Service or local authority officers in the UK.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to help the tourist industry to deal with any loss of business caused by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: I am fully aware of the effect that the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is having on the tourism industry. I have arranged to get regular reports about the position in every part of Scotland and I have met with individual businesses to find out the problems at first hand.

  I have asked visitscotland to prepare a recovery plan for the tourism industry. This will include launching the postponed £2 million spring campaign as soon as it is sensible to do so. Once the outbreak is over, the British Tourist Authority will pull out all the stops to promote Britain abroad.

  In addition, Ross Finnie is chairing a group with representatives from the Enterprise Networks, visitscotland and local authorities to examine the impact these problems are having on the wider rural economy, in which, of course, the tourism industry figures largely.

  This is, of course, a UK problem and I am in regular contact with ministerial colleagues to ensure that action is co-ordinated. I will be hosting a tourism summit in the near future.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which abattoirs have been licensed under the scheme allowing movement of livestock during the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease; what criteria were used in the licensing of these abattoirs; whether further licences will be issued if more abattoirs are required, and whether there is any provision under the scheme which limits or aims to limit the length of journey between farm and abattoir.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Ministers have approved the red meat premises listed below under the arrangements for livestock to go direct from farm to abattoir for slaughter contained in the Foot and Mouth Disease Declaratory (Controlled Area)(Scotland) (No 2) Order 2001. Any further applications for approval will be considered on their merits.

  Grampian County Pork Ltd (Buckie) Buccleuch Scotch Beef, Castle Douglas

  Sandyford Abattoir Ltd, Paisley Millers of Speyside, Grantown on Spey

  John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall St Andrews Abattoir

  Bryson Meats Ltd, Strathaven Rhinds of Elgin

  Kepak Buchan, Turriff Wick Slaughterhouse

  Mathers (Inverurie) Ltd James Chapman Ltd, Shotts

  Orkney Meat Ltd, Kirkwall Wishaw Abattoir

  Scotch Premier Meat, Inverurie ABP Bathgate Ltd

  Scotbeef Bridge of Allan R Y Henderson & Sons, Linlithgow

  Robertson’s Fine Foods, Ardrossan Scottish Borders Abattoir, Galashiels

  D S Stevenson, Dunblane Blackwaterfoot Slaughterhouse, Arran

  McIntosh Donald, Portlethen G McTaggarts, Islay

  Highland Meats Ltd, Saltcoats Matheson Jess Ltd, Brechin

  ABP Perth Heather Isle Meats, Stornoway

  Biggar Wholesale Meats Scarinish Slaughterhouse, Tiree

  Ramsay of Carluke G D Vivers & Sons, Annan

  Grampian County Pork, Matheson Jess Ltd, Dundee

  Halls Ltd, Broxburn Shetland Pork, Shetland

  Magnus Smith, Shetland Shetland Slaughterhouse

  A K Stoddart, Ayr

  To obtain approval abattoirs must:

  (i) have a current licence under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995;

  (ii) have adequate facilities to cleanse and disinfect each livestock vehicle before it leaves the premises;

  (iii) have adequate drainage;

  (iv) provide full veterinary ante-mortem inspection for all animals, and

  (v) have adequate management systems to ensure slaughter of animals within 24 hours of their arrival on the premises.

  Journeys from farm to slaughter must be direct, without a scheduled stop and should be completed within four hours. Longer journeys may be permitted but, where these exceed four hours, two drivers must be used.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prescribing Analysis data is in arrears and, if so, by how much and how primary care trusts can check practitioners’ compliance with prescribing policies.

Susan Deacon: Scottish Prescribing Analysis reports are normally provided quarterly to individual prescribers and Primary Care Trusts. The provision of this information is currently two quarters behind normal schedules. This is due to a delay in the processing of prescriptions. Production of the first of the outstanding reports is planned for the end of March.

  The routine issue of good practice guidance, which is not affected by the delay in prescription processing, should continue to influence prescriber behaviour.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the number of people who have lost their jobs as a result of waiting for diagnosis, assessment and treatment from the NHS.

Susan Deacon: This information is not available.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to tackle any excess prescribing of drugs and treatments in the NHS.

Susan Deacon: Health boards and NHS Trusts work closely with prescribers to ensure that patients are only prescribed drugs where clinically appropriate. There is a range of measures being taken nationally and locally to support this. These include:

  feedback and analysis of prescribing information;

  review of patients receiving repeat prescriptions;

  local formularies;

  advice on new drugs/similar drugs;

  prescribing protocols;

  local review and audit;

  national advice from the Health Technology Board for Scotland;

  advice from local area drugs and therapeutic committees, and

  clinical pharmacy systems in hospitals to monitor, advise and review prescribing.

Health

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints were made to health boards against pharmacists and how many local resolutions there were as a result in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000.

Susan Deacon: These statistics are not held centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12337 by Susan Deacon on 8 February 2001, how many patients are being given medication for the treatment of attention deficiency disorder and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and what type of medication is being administered.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to encourage the expansion of the private health care sector as recommended in the British Medical Association Report Healthcare funding review , and, if so, how this will be done.

Susan Deacon: We have no plans to do so.

Health

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13366 by Susan Deacon on 28 February 2001, what charge out rate is applied by the Central Legal Office of the NHS in Scotland in determining the charges to be paid by health boards and NHS Trusts for the legal services which the office provides to them.

Susan Deacon: The Central Legal Office (CLO) provides its services on a competitive basis with the private sector. Whilst charging rates vary to reflect the complexity of the work, disclosure of the rates is contrary to CLO’s commercial interests.

Justice

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in its consultation on the use of children in test purchases of age restricted products.

Neil Davidson: The Crown Office is consulting widely among children’s welfare organisations, local authorities, health professionals, retail organisations, voluntary organisations and the police, in order to inform the Lord Advocate’s review of prosecution policy in relation to test purchasing of age restricted goods by children in Scotland. Good progress is being made in this consultation. The helpful and constructive responses received thus far represent a wide cross section of opinion as to the appropriateness and desirability of basing criminal proceedings on test purchasing by children. All of these responses will be taken into account by the Lord Advocate when he carries out his review shortly.

  The Lord Advocate has written recently to the Convenor of the All Party Group on Tobacco with further details of the review.

Learning Disabilities

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in establishing a Scottish centre for people with learning disabilities.

Malcolm Chisholm: I can announce today that the grant to establish the Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities has been awarded to a consortium of 13 organisations led by ENABLE.

Learning Disabilities

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the recommendations made in the report The same a s you?  have been implemented.

Malcolm Chisholm: The same as you? sets out a programme of change for the next 10 years.

  Guidance on the preparation of Partnership in Practice agreements was issued to local authorities and health boards on 19 March.

  I can announce today that the grant to establish the Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities has been awarded to a consortium of 13 organisations led by ENABLE. The new centre will have a key role in offering training and advice to agencies, staff and others concerned in putting in place the recommendations of the review.

  In addition, officials wrote last week to the Scottish Society for Autism with an offer of a grant of £16,400 to carry out a mapping exercise to prepare for the national service network for people with autistic spectrum disorder.

Learning Disabilities

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it has allocated to the implementation of the recommendations made in the report The same as you? .

Malcolm Chisholm: We announced in September that change funds of £8 million, £12 million and £16 million would be provided to local authorities over the next three years to assist with implementing the review’s recommendations.

  I can announce today that a grant of £1.5 million over five years has been awarded to a consortium of 13 organisations led by ENABLE to establish the Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities.

  £16,400 has been offered to the Scottish Society for Autism to carry out a mapping exercise to prepare for the national service network for people with autistic spectrum disorder.

  Using new and existing resources together is a vital part of the Executive’s strategy. We are also expecting agencies to act on the report’s suggestion that better outcomes are possible by making better use of existing resources.

Medical Records

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are proposals to design, pilot and evaluate the use of electronic patient-owned health records created and maintained on the Internet.

Susan Deacon: Work is under way to establish by 2003 Electronic Patient Records   (EPRs) which will contain the detailed record of care of an individual patient in primary and secondary care organisations. Separately work is in hand to pilot by 2002 Electronic Health Records (EHRs)   which   will contain summarised information on important health events throughout a patient’s life. An important part of the work currently under way is to establish protocols for access to these records by health care professionals and patients. However, in planning for such developments, security and confidentiality of patients’ information, safeguarding patients’ rights, is paramount. Such records will be established on secure private networks to ensure patient confidentiality where access can be strictly controlled.

Medical Research

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to design a mechanism to facilitate cross-disciplinary research and development in order to advance integration and innovation in health care and treatment.

Susan Deacon: At a strategic level, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department already encourages research projects to have a multidisciplinary involvement. The CSO publication Research Strategy for the  National Health Service in Scotland , published in July 1998, identifies the promotion of a multidisciplinary approach to health services research as one of the prime objectives in its overall aim of improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of health services and health care. A copy of the Research Strategy is in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  This multidisciplinary approach is reflected in CSO funding streams. Having an appropriate multidisciplinary mix is one of the 10 dimensions of assessment by which R&D Support Fund awards are allocated and annually reviewed. Similarly, the majority of research projects funded directly by CSO also have multidisciplinary research teams.

Medical Research

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any strategy to link research into brain development, brain functions and learning.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive does not have a formal strategy on research into brain development, brain functions and learning. However, it is generally recognised that developments in research related to the human brain have an important contribution to raising awareness among teachers, educational researchers and teacher educators of the factors which affect successful learning and teaching in the classroom.

Medical Research

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research has been carried out regarding the harmful effects of selenium deficiency in humans and animals.

Rhona Brankin: A large amount of research has been carried out in the UK and in many other countries on the effects of selenium deficiency on humans and animals. SERAD currently funds a small amount of work on the effects of selenium on thyroid function.

Medical Research

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it provided for medical research in each of the last three financial years; which organisations benefited from this funding in each year, and how much funding each organisation received.

Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department spends approximately £40 million per year on medical research. Of this, £30 million is allocated from the R&D Support Fund budget to NHS providers for research activities and related infrastructure costs. Table 1 details the allocation for the last three financial years for each NHS provider. Awards made to Trusts prior to 1 April 1999 have been allocated to their successor Trusts in the interests of comparability with later years.

  In addition, CSO provides approximately £2.8 million of funding annually for seven research units. Table 2 details the allocation to each unit for the last three financial years. CSO also awards a significant number of research grants to individual researchers which are administered by their respective research institution. Total expenditure in any financial year in respect of such grants is approximately £5.5 million. Details of the grants awarded in the last three financial years were provided in my answer to question S1W-13052.

  The remainder of the CSO research budget largely consists of a significant number of relatively small amounts. Summary information on payments made to the wide range organisations and individuals involved is not readily available.

  Table 1

  


Support Fund Recipient 
  

Year 
  






1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  



Argyll & Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

21,275 
  

49,467 
  

76,875 
  



Ayrshire & Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

11,000 
  

25,650 
  






Ayrshire & Arran Primary Care NHS Trust 
  

160,000 
  

164,160 
  

179,375 
  



Borders General Hospital NHS Trust 
  

19,625 
  









Borders Primary Care NHS Trust 
  







46,125 
  



Fife Primary Care NHS Trust 
  







47,150 
  



Forth Valley Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

8,200 
  









Forth Valley Primary Care NHS Trust 
  

18,000 
  

18,468 
  

18,930 
  



Grampian Primary Care NHS Trust 
  

700,000 
  

497,713 
  

487,003 
  



Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

4,600,000 
  

4,928,801 
  

4,992,202 
  



Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust 
  

250,000 
  

410,400 
  

420,660 
  



North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

8,098,727 
  

8,309,294 
  

8,436,587 
  



South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

1,081,013 
  

1,109,119 
  

1,136,847 
  



Yorkhill NHS Trust 
  

1,589,168 
  

1,630,486 
  

1,654,536 
  



Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

40,600 
  

49,248 
  

75,850 
  



Lanarkshire Primary Care NHS Trust 
  







28,700 
  



Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust 
  

860,000 
  

882,360 
  

922,500 
  



Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

6,455,116 
  

6,915,289 
  

7,096,060 
  



West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust 
  

13,822 
  









Tayside Research Consortium 
  

3,926,428 
  

4,028,515 
  

4,087,936 
  



West of Scotland Primary Care R&D Network 
  

50,000 
  

51,300 
  

51,250 
  



Ancrum Research Practice 
  

15,580 
  

12,907 
  

21,643 
  



Forth Valley Primary Care Research Group 
  

72,000 
  

73,872 
  

75,719 
  



  Table 2

  


Research Units Budget 
  




Year 
  









1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  



Dental Health Services Research Unit 
  

University of Dundee 
  

479,945 
  

495,000 
  

521,000 
  



Social and Public Health Sciences Unit 
  

University of Glasgow 
  

251,881 
  

370,220 
  

280,595 
  



Health Services Research Unit 
  

University of Aberdeen 
  

561,606 
  

580,423 
  

615,000 
  



Health Economics Research Unit 
  

University of Aberdeen 
  

387,508 
  

415,803 
  

434,000 
  



Nursing Research Initiative for Scotland 
  

Glasgow Caledonian University 
  

336,928 
  

451,996 
  

336,928 
  



Research Unit in Health, Behaviour and Change 
  

University of Edinburgh 
  

389,728 
  

419,781 
  

406,511 
  



MRC Institute of Hearing Research 
  

Glasgow Royal Infirmary 
  

231,305 
  

247,676 
  

262,172

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fund and develop a neuropsychiatric disease prevention programme in order to assist and support people with, or prone to, mental illness.

Susan Deacon: A wide range of conditions are captured by the term neuropsychiatric disease, including Huntington’s Disease, head injury, dementia of cardiovascular origin and senile dementia among many others. The responses and contributions to care and prevention are equally wide-ranging and condition specific.

  We will continue to work with health boards and local authorities to devise and implement approaches to care and prevention that not only respond to the needs of different conditions but that also relate to individually assessed needs and inform our prevention measures.

Ministers

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) official ministerial engagements and (b) official ministerial meetings were attended by the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning in the weeks beginning (i) 6 November 2000, (ii) 13 November 2000, (iii) 20 November 2000, (iv) 27 November 2000, (v) 4 December 2000, (vi) 11 December 2000, (vii) 18 December 2000, (viii) 8 January 2001, (ix) 15 January 2001, (x) 22 January 2001, (xi) 29 January 2001, (xii) 5 February 2001, (xiii) 12 February 2001, (xiv) 19 February 2001, (xv) 26 February 2001 and (xvi) 5 March 2001.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Ministerial engagements are given wide publicity: the Scottish Executive Media and Communications Group issues operational notes in advance of them taking place. However, such engagements may be subject to cancellation at any time for a range of reasons and diary records are, therefore, neither comprehensive nor accurate.

  Details of ministerial meetings are internal matters for the Scottish Executive. In the course of a working week, ministers attend and chair a wide range of meetings, some of which are planned and programmed well in advance while others, such as the need to be in Parliament, are arranged at short notice.

  It is, therefore, neither possible nor appropriate to provide information in the format requested.

Ministers

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for how many (a) official ministerial engagements and (b) official ministerial meetings the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning’s attendance has been cancelled in the weeks beginning (i) 12 March 2001, (ii) 19 March 2001, (iii) 26 March 2001, (iv) 2 April 2001, (v) 9 April 2001, (vi) 16 April 2001, (vii) 23 April 2001 and (viii) 30 April 2001.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Ministers’ diaries and forward programmes are kept under constant review. Ministerial engagements and meetings frequently have to be accepted on a provisional basis and may have to be postponed, rearranged or cancelled for a range of reasons, including the need to be in Parliament at short notice. It is, therefore, not possible to provide the information in the form requested.

Ministers

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) official ministerial engagements and (b) official ministerial meetings the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning is scheduled to attend in the weeks beginning (i) 12 March 2001, (ii) 19 March 2001, (iii) 26 March 2001, (iv) 2 April 2001, (v) 9 April 2001, (vi) 16 April 2001, (vii) 23 April 2001 and (viii) 30 April 2001.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Details of future official ministerial engagements and official meetings are internal matters for the Scottish Executive. In the course of a working week, ministers undertake a number of official engagements and attend and chair a wide range of meetings, some of which are planned and programmed well in advance while others, such as the need to be in Parliament, are arranged at short notice. It is neither possible nor appropriate to provide information in the format requested.

NHS Equipment

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS Trusts provide free nebulisers for patients living within the community.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Expenditure

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the NHS drugs budget was spent on (a) baldness, (b) obesity and (c) impotence, in each of the last three years.

Susan Deacon: Information about drugs used in the treatment of obesity and impotence is given in the table. Drugs used in the treatment of male-pattern baldness are not prescribable on the NHS by GPs.

  The amounts shown in the table relate to the cost of drugs dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors before the deduction of any discount or the addition of dispensing fees. The cost of drugs dispensed in hospitals is not held centrally.

  

 

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  


 

Cost (£) 
  

% of total FHS* drugs budget 
  

Cost (£) 
  

% of total FHS* drugs budget 
  

Cost (£) 
  

% of total FHS* drugs budget 
  



Drugs used in the treatment of obesity 
  

34,088 
  

0.006% 
  

177,180 
  

0.031% 
  

646,936 
  

0.099% 
  



Drugs used in the treatment of impotence 
  

587,684 
  

0.108% 
  

989,148 
  

0.171% 
  

1,759,147 
  

0.269% 
  



  *Family Health Services (FHS).

NHS Expenditure

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the drugs budget according to category of treatment for specific illness and disease, broken down by health board, for each of the last two financial years.

Susan Deacon: Information on drug costs is provided routinely in a number of reports including Scottish Prescribing Analysis (SPA) and financial schedules. These relate to British National Formulary chapters and sub-sections. Information relating to the last two financial years is given in the table "Information on Prescribing Cost and Items" published by the Common Services Agency, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 12055).

  However, there are relatively few drugs that link specifically to an illness or disease. Therefore such information is not available.

NHS Funding

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to review the Arbuthnott formula and monitor its operation.

Susan Deacon: I have today appointed a Standing Committee, under the Chairmanship of Sir John Arbuthnott, for that very purpose. The remit of the committee is to:

  keep the formula for resource allocation for NHSScotland under review;

  keep under review the information available to support elements of the formula;

  advise on possible formulaic approaches to the parts of health expenditure not currently covered by the needs-based formula; and

  advise on adjustments to the formula for unmet need to tackle inequalities in the light of consultation.

  Furthermore, the committee will consider any relevant issues which are from time to time referred to it.

  Along with the Chairman, the members of the committee will be:

  David Bolton, Director of Primary Care, Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust;

  Dr Adam Bryson, Medical Director, National Services Division, Common Services Agency;

  Richard Copland, Director, Information and Statistics Division, Common Services Agency;

  Dr Frances Elliot, Medical Director, Fife Primary Care NHS Trust;

  Ms Fiona Mackenzie, Chief Executive, Highland Primary Care NHS Trust;

  Colin Masson, Director of Finance, Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust;

  Mrs Lesley McLay, Director of Nursing, Ayrshire & Arran Primary Care Trust;

  Professor Lewis Ritchie, James Mackenzie Professor and Head of Department, University of Aberdeen;

  Matthew Sutton, Senior Research Fellow, University of Glasgow;

  Dr Lesley Wilkie, Director of Public Health, Argyll & Clyde Health Board, and

  Professor Kevin Woods, William R Lindsay Chair in Health Policy & Economic Evaluation, University of Glasgow.

  The committee will also comprise a number of officials with appropriate policy involvement from the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies there were on 1 May 1997 and how many there are currently.

Angus MacKay: Information relating to the number of public bodies is contained in the relevant version of the annual Public Bodies publication. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 versions of the document are available from the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk.

Nursing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the NHSiS spent on the use of bank and agency nurses in each of the last three years.

Susan Deacon: This information is not available.

Nursing

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pulmonary nurses are employed by the NHS in each health board area.

Susan Deacon: The information is not held centrally.

Nutrition

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the role and remit of a national dietary co-ordinator will differ from and complement the role and remit of the Scottish Community Diet National Project Officer appointed in 1996.

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to appoint a national dietary co-ordinator.

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role and remit of a national dietary co-ordinator will be.

Malcolm Chisholm: The National Diet Action Co-ordinator post is due to be advertised within the next two to three weeks. The Co-ordinator will champion the need for improvement in Scotland’s diet; supporting the key players with an influence over diet, such as primary producers, manufacturers, retailers and the catering sector, to increase their contribution towards the implementation of the Scottish Diet Action Plan. This will complement the work of the Scottish Community Diet Project, which has a specific focus on low income communities.

Renewable Energy

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of its consultation on the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) and whether it will publish the responses received.

Allan Wilson: The Renewables Obligation (Scotland) (ROS) consultation closed last month, and we received over 150 responses. I am very grateful to all those who took the time to give us their views, and we will be carefully considering the issues raised before final decisions on the structure of the obligation are made.

  A report of the responses has been prepared, and will be available from today on the Scottish Executive website. I am also placing copies of the report in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 12140).

Research

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure greater integration between mathematics, biology, medicine, engineering and the physical sciences in order to facilitate more joined-up research programmes.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Individual research programmes in Scottish higher education institutions are primarily funded by the UK Research Councils. They have mechanisms in place to ensure co-ordination across and between disciplines.

Smoking

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many 12- to 15-year-olds smoke according to latest available figures and what percentage of 12- to 15-year-olds this represents.

Malcolm Chisholm: Data from the ONS publication Smoking, drinking and drug use among young teenagers in 1998 show that in 1998 in Scotland around 12% of children aged between 12 and 15 years old were regular smokers. This percentage is taken from a sample survey and represents an estimated 27,000 to 33,500 children aged between 12 and 15 years.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliament Website

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer,  further to the answer to question S1W-13566 by Sir David Steel on 7 March 2001, which languages are being considered for use on the Parliament’s website to provide public information resources and whether Scots is likely to be one of these languages.

Sir David Steel: Consideration is being given to making public information about the Parliament available in ethnic and European languages on the website. One of these languages is likely to be Scots.